Coaching FAQs
Why choose to work with a book/writing coach, instead of an editor?
You might wonder about the difference between book/writing coaching and editing. Book and writing coaches are editors, but not all editors are coaches! Book/writing coaching encompasses editing, but also goes beyond it.
Editing is often project-specific, with editors providing a single service on a single draft, such as a developmental edit or a line edit. There’s nothing wrong with this—an editor’s super power is focus, and this benefits your manuscript.
Book/writing coaches, however, work with you and your manuscript beyond a single service on a project. Coaching is as much about developing the writer as the writing, and offers a way for writers to receive ongoing editorial and career support as they navigate their writing journeys. A coach’s superpower is twofold—they partner an editor’s focus with a project manager’s big picture thinking. Your relationship with a coach doesn’t end after one round of edits, or after you receive an editorial report. Your coach is there to help you plan beyond the edit, to help you visualize where you want to go next in your writing, and how to get there.
What can a book/writing coach do for your work?
Coaches offer support on all facets of your writing journey, from book foundations to drafting and revision, publication planning and beyond. It is important to find a coach who specializes in the type of support you need, and who works with writers like you. Coaches are creative writing teachers, critique partners, editors, market experts, sounding boards, project managers, and cheerleaders all in one. Choosing to work with a coach can take you from “I have an idea for a book…” to completing a draft, revising your manuscript, or navigating the publishing path that’s right for you. Coaches can help you to define what success looks like for you and your writing, and to help you move toward it.
What can’t a book/writing coach do?
Coaches (just like editors) can’t write your story for you, steal your ideas for their own, or force you to make decisions about your work that don’t resonant with you. Coaches (and editors) also can’t make promises of salability, publication or success in the marketplace. A coach who makes these sorts of claims isn’t ethical. Coaches can help you move your project forward, and help you become a better writer, but anyone who says they can promise commercial success isn’t being honest with you.
You might wonder about the difference between book/writing coaching and editing. Book and writing coaches are editors, but not all editors are coaches! Book/writing coaching encompasses editing, but also goes beyond it.
Editing is often project-specific, with editors providing a single service on a single draft, such as a developmental edit or a line edit. There’s nothing wrong with this—an editor’s super power is focus, and this benefits your manuscript.
Book/writing coaches, however, work with you and your manuscript beyond a single service on a project. Coaching is as much about developing the writer as the writing, and offers a way for writers to receive ongoing editorial and career support as they navigate their writing journeys. A coach’s superpower is twofold—they partner an editor’s focus with a project manager’s big picture thinking. Your relationship with a coach doesn’t end after one round of edits, or after you receive an editorial report. Your coach is there to help you plan beyond the edit, to help you visualize where you want to go next in your writing, and how to get there.
What can a book/writing coach do for your work?
Coaches offer support on all facets of your writing journey, from book foundations to drafting and revision, publication planning and beyond. It is important to find a coach who specializes in the type of support you need, and who works with writers like you. Coaches are creative writing teachers, critique partners, editors, market experts, sounding boards, project managers, and cheerleaders all in one. Choosing to work with a coach can take you from “I have an idea for a book…” to completing a draft, revising your manuscript, or navigating the publishing path that’s right for you. Coaches can help you to define what success looks like for you and your writing, and to help you move toward it.
What can’t a book/writing coach do?
Coaches (just like editors) can’t write your story for you, steal your ideas for their own, or force you to make decisions about your work that don’t resonant with you. Coaches (and editors) also can’t make promises of salability, publication or success in the marketplace. A coach who makes these sorts of claims isn’t ethical. Coaches can help you move your project forward, and help you become a better writer, but anyone who says they can promise commercial success isn’t being honest with you.